Electric time-piece

ABSTRACT

A time-piece the case of which contains a source of current in the form of an ordinary or storage-battery housed in a space closed by means of a plug, characterized by the fact that one of the two elements, casing and plug, is provided with a scale and the other one with a mark, so that when the plug is put in place, it can be adjusted to such an angular position that the mark indicates, at least approximately, with respect to said scale, the date at which the source of current has been put in place or the date at which this source must be replaced.

United States Patent Hubner [4 1 June 27, 1972 541 ELECTRIC TIME-PIECE 3,505,804 4/1970 l-lofstein .5803 BA [72] Inventor: Kurt Hllbllfl', Neuchatel, Switzerland FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: Ebauches Electroniques S.A., Neuchatel, l 508 365 i l [1967 France 58/23 BA Switzerland [22] Filed: July 28, 1971 Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Assistant Examiner-Edith C. Simmons Jackmon [21 1 Appl' Attomey-Kenwood Ross et al.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [5 7] ABSTRACT Aug. 7, 1970 Switzerland ..1 1906/70 A timeiece the case of which contains a source of current in the form of an ordinary or storage-battery housed in a space .5. Cl- BA, closed means of a plug characterized the fact that one [51] Cl 3/00 G04b 37/12 of the two elements, casing and plug, is provided with a scale [58] Field of Search ..58/46, 23 R, 23 BA, and the other one with a mark so that when the plug i put i 58/23 53 58 88 88 88 152 R place, it can be adjusted to such an angular position that the mark indicates, at least approximately, with respect to said [56] References Cited scale, the date at which the source of current has been put in UNITED STATES PATENTS place or the date at which this source must be replaced.

3,597,913 8/1971 4Claims,3Drawing Figures Fujimori ..58/53 R X ELECTRIC TIME-PIECE The present invention concerns an electric time-piece, this designations naturally comprising electronic time pieces, the

- casing of which contains a source of electric current-ordinaryor storage-battery-housed in a space which can be closed by means of a plug.

This time-piece is characterized by the fact that one of the two elements, casing and plug, is provided with a scale and the other one with a mark,.so as when the plug is put in place, it can be adjusted in such an angular position that the mark indicates, at least approximately, with respect to said scale, the date at which the source of current has been put in place or the date at which this source must be replaced. The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention and one modification thereof;

FIG. 1 is a plan view, viewed from above, of a wrist-watch.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, at an enlarged scale, along line II--II of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a plan view, viewed from the underside, of a modification.

The casing of the wrist-watch represented on FIG. 1 and 2 comprises a combinated middle and back 1 carrying a crystal 2.

This casing contains an electric battery 3 for supplying current to the clockwork,.not represented, which is electrically driven. The portion of the middle and back 1 designated by la, constituting the back per se, is provided with an opening 4 which can be closed with a detachable plug 5, the latter being made for instance of plastic material, which allows the putting in its place and the removal of the battery 3. The plug 5 is snap-fitted on the back 1a so as to be ajustable in any angular position. It carries a mark 6 which faces a scale 7 provided with 12 divisions numbered 1 to 12.

Thus, the watch user can set the plug 5, when replacing the battery 3, in such a position wherein the mark 6 indicates, with regard to scale 7, which month the battery replacement has been carried out or which month the battery should be next replaced, said indication being generally the same in both cases since electric watches are generally designed for having the batteries last one year before replacement or recharging is required.

A file-mark 8 is provided in the back la, adjacent to the opening 4, for taking off the plug by means of a blade.

The modification of FIG. 3 differs from the first embodiment by the fact that the mark 6 is carried by the back-cover 1a of the case whereas the scale 7 is carried by the plug 5.

What I claim is:

l. Time-piece the case of which contains a source of current-ordinary-or storage-battery-housed in a space closed by means of a plug, characterized by the fact that one of the two elements, casing and plug, is provided with a scale and the other one with a mark, so as when the plug is put in place, it can be ajusted in such an angular position that the mark indicates, at least approximately, with respect to said scale, the

date at which the source of current has been put in place or the date at which this source must be replaced.

2. Time-piece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that said scale comprises 12 sections, numbered 1 to 12, corresponding to the twelve months of the year.

3. Time-piece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the plug is snap-fitted to the element of the case on which it is set-up for having said plug being adjustable in any angular position wanted.

4. Time-piece as claimed in claim 3, characterized by the fact that said plug is carried by the back-cover of the watch case.

i i t it i 

1. Time-piece the case of which contains a source of currentordinary-or storage-battery-housed in a space closed by means of a plug, characterized by the fact that one of the two elements, casing and plug, is provided with a scale and the other one with a mark, so as when the plug is put in place, it can be ajUsted in such an angular position that the mark indicates, at least approximately, with respect to said scale, the date at which the source of current has been put in place or the date at which this source must be replaced.
 2. Time-piece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that said scale comprises 12 sections, numbered 1 to 12, corresponding to the twelve months of the year.
 3. Time-piece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the plug is snap-fitted to the element of the case on which it is set-up for having said plug being adjustable in any angular position wanted.
 4. Time-piece as claimed in claim 3, characterized by the fact that said plug is carried by the back-cover of the watch case. 